Consider your housing options

Moving to a new city is an exciting experience. Whether you decided to live on or off campus, there are many factors to consider. We encourage you to take some time to research your options to find out what will best suit your needs and lifestyle.

Residence Life

Living on campus is a great way to meet new friends. All of Concordia’s residences are lively places filled with students from around the globe, and Residence Life Assistants are trained students living on-site who know first-hand the excitement and challenges of being new at Concordia.

Do You Qualify to Live in Residence?

Residences are currently reserved for:

• First-year, full-time undergraduate students between the ages of 17-22
• Applicants who live more than 50 kilometres outside of the greater Montreal area
• Students who are attending university for the first time

Applying to Live in Residence

The link to the Residence Application will be available at the beginning of March on the MyConcordia Portal to students who have been offered conditional or final admission. There is a $100 non-refundable application fee that must be paid by Visa, MasterCard or American Express to access the application form.

Applicants will be asked to provide personal information, and answer questions about lifestyle and habits, building and room selections, and roommate preferences (if applicable). Please take the time to consider your answers carefully so that we can help place you in the best situation for your living and academic needs.

Which Residence is Right for You?

There are three residence buildings at Concordia to choose from. Our Grey Nuns Residence is located on the Sir George Williams Campus, right in the heart of downtown Montreal. Both Hingston Hall and the Jesuit Residence are on the Loyola Campus in Montreal’s west end. For more information on the different residences, including floor plans, furnishings, and rates, please visit the Residence Life website at residence.concordia.ca.

If you are considering living in residence, there are some community living standards in place to ensure the safety and comfort of all students. We encourage you to take the time to review these policies before deciding to live on campus. For instance, if you love to cook or have dietary restrictions you might find living in residence restrictive as students do not have personal access to kitchens.

There are also policies regarding noise with enforced quiet hours to contribute to your academic success, and all residences maintain a smoke-free environment.

Meal Plan

If you decide to live in residence you will be required to purchase a Meal Plan. On-campus food services are operated by Chartwells. There are several different plans to choose from so please review the options, menus, operating hours, locations, and costs outlined on the Chartwells website. Also, if you have strict dietary restrictions and/or allergies we suggest that you contact Chartwells to find out what your options will be before deciding if living in residence is right for you, dineoncampus.ca/Concordia.ca.

Security

Residence buildings are locked at all times and accessible only by access cards. There are building security rounds both day and night, as well as clearly defined and practised emergency plans. To find out more, visit residence.concordia.ca/residencepolicies/safetyinresidence.

Questions About Residence?

Please contact Residence Life at residenceinfo@concordia.ca or visit residence.concordia.ca

Off-Campus Housing

Deciding to move out on your own is a big step. The first thing you should do is check out the Concordia Student Union Off-Campus Housing and Job Bank (Hojo) website at hojo.csu.qc.ca. Hojo is a fantastic resource for finding off-campus housing, learning about your rights as a tenant in Montreal, and helpful tips on things like roommate conflict prevention, energy conservation, and local safety resources.

Montreal ranks within the top 10 student-friendly cities around the world, and is also one of the most affordable cities in Canada. You can live steps away from your classes in the bustling Quartier Concordia in the borough of Ville Marie, near the quieter Loyola Campus in the borough of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, or in any one of Montreal’s other dynamic neighbourhoods, from the Plateau/Mile-End to Griffintown or St. Henri. Wherever you choose to live, you’ll find great housing options and a safe environment. For more information on the hot spots to live, visit Hojo or check out Tourism Montreal’s guide to neighbourhoods, tourisme-montreal.org/Discover-montreal/Neighbourhoods

Navigating Montreal Rental Listings - What’s a 3½?

À Louer = For Rent

Montreal has a particular way of describing apartment size. Learning the lingo is the first step in finding your new home. Remember, although there are variations, the ½ always refers to a bathroom, and each room is counted.

1 ½: one room, one bathroom (studio)
2 ½: one double room, one bathroom
3 ½: one separate room, one bathroom
4 ½: two separate rooms, one bathroom
5 ½: three separate rooms, one bathroom

When looking at rent costs, don’t forget to factor in additional living expenses. Utilities are rarely included, so you will need to budget for electricity, Internet, furniture, appliances (not all apartments in Montreal include a fridge and stove), dishes, pots and pans — and the food to go along with them!

Whether you decided to go through Hojo, or find off campus housing on your own, make sure you do your homework! There are a lot of resources out there. Ask questions, shop around, be safe, and have fun.